Pan Seared Chicken With Pear Slaw Food

SWEET-AND-SOUR CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Brown the chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the canola oil. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet and season with salt and white pepper. Turn the pieces over and season again. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, use a pair of metal tongs to carefully add the pieces, skin side down, to the skillet. Do not overcrowd the pan. Resist the temptation to move or turn the pieces, until they have browned on the first side, 5 to 8 minutes. Turn the chicken over and brown on the second side, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and bake in the oven until cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes.
• Cook the bacon: Add the bacon to the skillet you used to cook the chicken and cook until browned and crispy, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a kitchen towel. Reserve the skillet.
• While the chicken is cooking, make the sweet-and-sour sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring from time to time with a wooden spoon, until they brown and become tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the white wine, 1/2 to 1 1/2 cups of water, the raisins, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar. Simmer, adding up to 1 more cup water if necessary, until the liquid reduces and the onions are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper.
• Finish the dish: In the skillet you used to cook the bacon, pour off any excess grease and add the tomatoes. Simmer over medium heat until almost all the liquid is gone, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour the sweet-and-sour sauce into the skillet and then add the pieces of chicken and the juices. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and toss to coat the chicken with sauce. Taste for seasoning. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a serving platter. Top with the bacon. Serve immediately.

PAN SEARED CHICKEN BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Drizzle the chicken breast with 1/2 of the oil, and then season the breast with a good crust of salt and pepper. Put chicken in the pan skin side down, then add the herbs, and garlic. When the skin has a nice golden color turn it over, and put in a preheated oven for 8 minutes or until juice runs clear.

ASIAN PEAR SLAW

Steps:

• Peel strings from celery with a Y-shaped vegetable peeler and cut celery into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks.
• Whisk together juice, vinegar, and ginger and stir in celery and remaining ingredients with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

SHEET-PAN ROASTED CHICKEN WITH PEARS AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees with a rack in the center.
• Pat the chicken dry and trim excess fat and skin. Sprinkle all over with 2 teaspoons salt, and season with pepper. In a small bowl, mix together the red-pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, ginger and oil. On a sheet pan, rub the chicken and pears all over with the mixture. Arrange chicken skin-side up and pears skin-side down. Cook until the chicken is cooked through (165 degrees at the thickest part) and the pears are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, add the sunflower seeds to the pan. If there's a lot of fat when finished cooking, tilt the pan and spoon it off until there's a light coating on the surface of the pan.
• Scatter the arugula on top, and squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with herbs, if using. Cut the remaining lemon half in quarters and serve.